I will be your wings tonight
by BehindTheCellarDoor
Summary: Maleficent was feeling especially down that day, she missed flying... but Diaval had promised once to be her wings.


Maleficent had been especially down that day. She was sitting atop her tree, looking down at the moors and thinking how easy it had been some time ago to travel along the length of them, her wings splayed in the air.

Diaval walked up to her with a worried look on his face.

"Mistress, are you feeling well?" he asked the faerie.

Maleficent looked down at her servant and let out a sigh. "Not particularly, Diaval. You can go now." Her eyes were lost in the distance again.

Diaval shifted in his place, twisting his sleeve on his hand. He wanted to talk to her, make sure she was doing fine, but he didn't dare disobey her. He gathered his strength and walked closer to where Maleficent was sitting.

"I am sorry, but I can't do that. You are my mistress, and I must ensure your well being…" he said as some sort of reply.

Maleficent got down from where she was sitting and looked at him with empty eyes.

"I just miss the sky." She said absent mindedly.

Diaval looked down at his feet and then back at her. He knew perfectly well what had happened to her wings, and he couldn't even imagine what she was feeling. If he lost his wings, if he was told he would never fly again… he would probably die. It wasn't fair she couldn't enjoy the breeze in her face like he did now. Diaval had seen Maleficent cry before, but only when the darkness engulfed it all and she thought her tears were away from prying eyes. He had caught her one night, but he didn't dare mention it. He knew better than that, and he loved her mistress too much to make her go through the embarrassment of being seen crying, she who was the strongest of the faeries in all of the moors.

He pressed his lips together and looked back at her.

"Mistress… when you first saved my life, I accepted what it entailed. I still accept with great joy the duty that is my debt and I will honor that promise; If you let me, I can be your wings tonight." Diaval said with his head solemnly bowed in front of Maleficent, his voice slightly trailing off at the last word.

He corrected his posture and looked up to find her eyes locked in his. His hand, behind his back, clenched around his left arm just above the elbow and his eyes immediately dropped down to his feet. He wondered if his suggestion was unfit, perhaps he had been too forward or crossed a boundary, after all he was just his mistress's servant... a simple bird given the gift of her company, and the pains of a human heart

Maleficent continued to look at him, examining Diaval's expression. She dared not say it, but the bird had grown in her heart, for he was the only company she had in this world of betrayal and dishonesty. She lifted his face with a finger, forcing him to look back at her.

"Would you do that for me?" she said with a serious voice that hid a plea to even the most attentive ears.

"I would do anything you asked me for." He replied with a faint smile crossing his lips.

Maleficent gave him a small smile and a single nod, a smile that Diaval caught and kept close to his own heart.

"Thank you." She stated simply and with a flick of her fingers and a spark of golden light, he was transformed.

Diaval turned around and looked over his shoulder. From his back emerged a set of big black wings with raven-like feathers. He lightly grabbed Maleficent's hand and walked towards the brim of the lake before them where the water spirits drew with light across the surface. His mistress turned to look at him and he motioned to the clear mirror that was the water with a nod of his head. She took a step forward and Diaval moved behind her until the only thing Maleficent could see in the reflection was herself.

But there was something more in the image. Diaval opened his new wings to their full, and for a moment Maleficent saw in that reflection her own, great and strong. She stared back at the water as the wings flapped and extended, and she let herself smile widely.

The former crow watched in awe the reaction of his mistress, and he felt a warm feeling spreading across his chest when he caught Maleficent's smile in the mirror of the lake. He moved forward, close to her.

"Mistress…shall we go now?" he asked, placing one hand on her shoulder.

Maleficent turned her head to look at him; the one she called her servant but after all it was her friend.

"Yes"

Diaval carefully wrapped his arms around his mistress stomach, hesitating for a moment but continuing after making sure she was okay with it. He held her tight in his arms and without further notice he opened his wings and took off.

Maleficent could no longer feel the ground beneath her, and she looked down at the moors like she used to do, the clouds were getting closer and the wind hit her face with a tender touch. They soared through the sky, Maleficent's arms extended, taking in the air as it passed through her fingers.

Diaval dipped to the ground before turning back up quickly, and Maleficent laughed and smiled widely like he had never seen her do before, her eyes shining with golden light for a second. Davial smiled too, for he had all he needed.

And Maleficent, well… maybe she didn't have her old pair back… but she had her wings alright.


End file.
